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The Song of Deborah

On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:

“·The leaders led Israel [or When locks of hair grow in Israel; C referring to the keeping of a Nazirite vow (Num. 6:5); the Hebrew here is obscure].
    The ·people [nation] ·volunteered to go to battle [answered the call; offered themselves willingly].
    ·Praise [Bless] the Lord!
Listen, kings.
    Pay attention, rulers!
I ·myself [even I] will sing to the Lord.
    I will ·make music [or sing praises] to the Lord, the God of Israel.

Lord, when you came from Seir [C another name for Edom],
    when you marched from the ·land [or fields] of Edom,
the earth shook,
    the ·skies [heavens] ·rained [poured; dropped],
    and the clouds ·dropped [poured] water.
The mountains ·shook [quaked] before the Lord, the God of Mount Sinai,
    before the Lord, the God of Israel!

“In the days of Shamgar son of Anath [3:31],
    in the days of Jael, the ·main roads were empty [highways were deserted; or caravans were no more].
    Travelers went on ·the back roads [winding paths; C because of Canaanite robbers on the highways].
·There were no warriors in Israel [or The villagers/peasants would not fight; or The villagers deserted their villages]
    until ·I [or you], Deborah, arose,
    until ·I [or you] arose to be a mother to Israel.
At that time ·they chose to follow new gods [or God chose new leaders/warriors].
    Because of this, ·enemies fought us at our [war came to the] city gates.
·No one could find a shield or a spear [L A shield, it could not be seen, nor a spear]
    among the forty thousand people of Israel.
My heart is with the ·commanders [leaders; princes] of Israel.
    ·They volunteered freely [or And with those who volunteered freely] from among the people.
·Praise [Bless] the Lord!

10 “You who ride on white [L female] donkeys
    and sit on ·saddle blankets [or rich carpets],
    and you who walk along the road, ·listen [ponder this; or tell of this]!
11 Listen to the sound of the ·singers [village musicians; or those who distribute the water; or those who divide the sheep]
    at the watering holes.
There they tell about the ·victories [or righteous deeds/triumphs] of the Lord,
    the ·victories [or righteous deeds/triumphs] of the Lord’s ·warriors [or villagers; peasantry] in Israel.
Then the Lord’s people went down to the city gates.

12 “Wake up, wake up, Deborah!
    Wake up, wake up, sing a song!
Get up, Barak!
    ·Go capture your enemies [L Take captive your captives], son of Abinoam!

13 “Then ·those who were left [the remnant/survivors] ·came down to the important leaders [or of the nobles/leaders came down].
    The Lord’s people came down to me ·with strong men [or against the mighty].
14 They came from Ephraim ·in the mountains of [or whose roots were in; or who uprooted] Amalek.
    ·Benjamin was among the people who followed you [or They follow you, Benjamin, with your people/soldiers].
From ·the family group of Makir [L Makir], the commanders came down.
    And from Zebulun came those who ·lead [L carry the officer’s/commander’s staff].
15 The princes of Issachar were with Deborah.
    The people of Issachar were loyal to Barak
    and ·followed him [were sent under his command; L were sent at his feet] into the valley.
·The Reubenites [L Among the clans of Reuben they] ·thought hard
    about what they would do [greatly searched their hearts; or had great indecision].
16 Why did you stay by the sheepfold?
    Was it to hear the ·music played [whistling] for your ·sheep [flocks]?
·The Reubenites [L Among the clans of Reuben they] ·thought hard
    about what they would do [greatly searched their hearts; or had great indecision].
17 ·The people of Gilead [L Gilead; C the grandson of Manasseh, though the term is used for the tribe of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh east of the Jordan] stayed east of the Jordan River.
    ·People of Dan [L Dan; 1:34], why did you stay by the ships [C Dan remained on the Mediterranean coast rather than help in the battle]?
The people of Asher stayed at the seashore,
    at their ·safe harbors [coves; landings].
18 But the people of Zebulun ·risked their lives [L despised their lives even to death],
    as did the people of Naphtali on the ·battlefield [L heights of the field].

19 “The kings came, and they fought.
    At that time the kings of Canaan fought
at Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo.
    But they took away no ·silver or possessions of Israel [plunder of silver].
20 The stars fought from heaven [C personified as God’s army];
    from their ·paths [courses], they fought Sisera.
21 The Kishon River swept Sisera’s men away,
    that ·old river [ancient torrent], the Kishon ·River [torrent; C a rainstorm sent from God swelled the river].
March on, my soul, with strength!
22 Then the horses’ hoofs ·beat [pounded] the ground.
    Galloping, galloping go Sisera’s ·mighty horses [stallions; steeds; L mighty ones].
23 ‘·May the town of Meroz be cursed [L Curse Meroz],’ said the angel of the Lord.
    ‘·Bitterly curse [Utterly curse; L Curse a curse upon] its ·people [inhabitants],
because they did not come to help the Lord.
    ·They did not fight the strong enemy [To help the Lord against the warriors/mighty ones].’

24 “Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite,
    May she be blessed above all women who live in tents.
25 Sisera asked for water,
    but Jael gave him milk.
In a bowl fit for a ·ruler [noble; king],
    she brought him ·cream [or curds].
26 Jael reached out her hand and took the tent peg.
    Her right hand reached for the workman’s hammer.
She ·hit [struck] Sisera! She ·smashed [crushed] his head!
    She ·crushed [shattered] and pierced ·the side of his head [his temple/or mouth]!
27 ·At [or Between] Jael’s feet he ·sank [bowed].
    He fell, and he lay there.
·At [or Between] her feet he ·sank [bowed]. He fell.
    Where Sisera ·sank [bowed], there he fell, dead!

28 “Sisera’s mother looked out through the window.
    She looked through the ·curtains [lattice] and cried out,
‘Why is Sisera’s chariot so late in coming?
    Why are ·sounds of his chariots’ horses [L the chariots’ hoofbeats] delayed?’
29 The wisest of her ·servant ladies [or princesses] answer her,
    ·and [indeed] Sisera’s mother says to herself,
30 ‘Surely they are ·robbing the people they defeated and dividing those things among themselves [L finding and dividing the spoil]!
Each soldier is given a ·girl [L womb; C slang for women] or two.
    ·Maybe Sisera is taking [L For Sisera a plunder of] ·pieces of dyed cloth [or colorful garments].
·Maybe they are even taking [L For spoil/plunder]
    pieces of dyed, embroidered cloth for the necks of the ·victors [plunderers]!’
31 “·Let [May] all your enemies ·die [perish] this way, Lord!
But ·let [may] all the people who love you
be ·as strong as the rising sun [L like the sun rising in its strength]!”

Then there was ·peace [rest] in the land for forty years.

Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,

Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.

Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the Lord; I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel.

Lord, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.

The mountains melted from before the Lord, even that Sinai from before the Lord God of Israel.

In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.

The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.

They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?

My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the Lord.

10 Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.

11 They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the Lord go down to the gates.

12 Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.

13 Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the Lord made me have dominion over the mighty.

14 Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.

15 And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.

16 Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.

17 Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.

18 Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.

19 The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.

20 They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.

21 The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.

22 Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.

23 Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.

24 Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.

25 He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.

26 She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.

27 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

28 The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?

29 Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,

30 Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?

31 So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

La canción de Débora

Aquel día Débora y Barac, hijo de Abinoán, entonaron este canto:

«Cuando los príncipes de Israel toman el mando,
    cuando el pueblo se ofrece voluntariamente,
    ¡bendito sea el Señor!

»¡Oigan, reyes! ¡Escuchen, gobernantes!
    Yo cantaré, cantaré al Señor;
    tocaré música al Señor, el Dios de Israel.

»Oh Señor, cuando saliste de Seír,
    cuando marchaste desde los campos de Edom,
tembló la tierra, fluyeron los cielos,
    las nubes derramaron agua.
Temblaron las montañas al ver al Señor, el Dios del Sinaí;
    al ver al Señor, el Dios de Israel.

»En los días de Samgar, hijo de Anat,
    en los días de Jael, los viajeros abandonaron los caminos
    y se fueron por sendas torcidas.
Los campesinos de Israel desaparecieron;
    desaparecieron hasta que yo me levanté.
    ¡Yo, Débora, me levanté como una madre en Israel!
Dios eligió nuevos líderes,
    cuando la guerra llegó a las puertas de la ciudad,
pero no se veía ni un escudo ni una lanza
    entre cuarenta mil hombres de Israel.
Mi corazón está con los príncipes de Israel,
    con los voluntarios del pueblo.
    ¡Bendito sea el Señor!

10 »Ustedes, los que montan asnas blancas
    y se sientan sobre tapices,
    y ustedes, los que andan por el camino,
consideren 11 la voz de los que cantan en los abrevaderos,
    donde relatan los actos de justicia del Señor,
    los actos de justicia para con sus campesinos en Israel.

»Entonces el pueblo del Señor
    descendió a las puertas de la ciudad.
12 ¡Despierta, despierta, Débora!
    ¡Despierta, despierta, y entona una canción!
¡Levántate, Barac!
    Lleva cautivos a tus prisioneros, hijo de Abinoán.

13 »Los sobrevivientes descendieron con los nobles;
    el pueblo del Señor vino a mí con los valientes.
14 Algunos venían de Efraín, cuyas raíces estaban en Amalec;
    Benjamín estaba con el pueblo que te seguía.
Desde Maquir bajaron capitanes;
    desde Zabulón, los que llevan el bastón de mando.
15 Con Débora estaban los príncipes de Isacar;
    Isacar estaba con Barac,
    y tras él se lanzó hasta el valle.
En los distritos de Rubén
    hay grandes resoluciones.
16 ¿Por qué permaneciste entre los corrales
    escuchando los silbidos para llamar a los rebaños?
En los distritos de Rubén
    hay grandes titubeos.
17 Galaad habitó más allá del Jordán.
    Y Dan, ¿por qué se quedó junto a los barcos?
Aser se quedó en la costa del mar;
    permaneció en sus ensenadas.
18 El pueblo de Zabulón arriesgó la vida,
    como hizo Neftalí en las alturas del campo.

19 »Los reyes llegaron y pelearon;
    entonces los reyes de Canaán lucharon en Tanac,
junto a las aguas de Meguido,
    pero no se llevaron botín de plata.
20 Desde los cielos lucharon las estrellas,
    desde sus senderos lucharon contra Sísara.
21 El torrente Quisón los arrastró;
    el torrente antiguo, el torrente Quisón.
    ¡Marcha, alma mía, con vigor!
22 Resonaron entonces los cascos equinos;
    ¡galopan, galopan sus briosos corceles!
23 “Maldice a Meroz —dijo el ángel del Señor—.
    Maldice a sus habitantes con dureza,
porque no vinieron en ayuda del Señor,
    en ayuda del Señor y de sus valientes”.

24 »¡Sea Jael, esposa de Héber el quenita,
    la más bendita entre las mujeres,
    la más bendita entre las mujeres que habitan en tiendas de campaña!
25 Sísara pidió agua, Jael le dio leche;
    en taza de nobles le ofreció natas.
26 Su mano izquierda tomó la estaca;
    su mano derecha, el mazo de trabajo.
Golpeó a Sísara, le machacó la cabeza
    y lo remató atravesándole las sienes.
27 A los pies de ella se desplomó;
    allí cayó y quedó tendido.
Cayó desplomado a sus pies;
    allí donde cayó, quedó muerto.

28 »Por la ventana se asoma la madre de Sísara;
    tras la celosía clama a gritos:
“¿Por qué se demora su carro en venir?
    ¿Por qué se atrasa el estruendo de sus carros?”.
29 Las más sabias de sus damas le responden,
    y ella se repite a sí misma:
30 “Seguramente se están repartiendo el botín arrebatado al enemigo:
    una muchacha o dos para cada guerrero;
telas de colores como botín para Sísara;
    una tela, dos telas, de colores bordadas para mi cuello.
    ¡Todo esto como botín!”.

31 »¡Así perezcan todos tus enemigos, oh Señor!
    Pero los que te aman sean como el sol
    cuando sale en todo su esplendor».

Entonces el país tuvo paz durante cuarenta años.